When calves are branded the usual practice is to dehorn them at the same time they are restrained for branding purposes. The tools used in dehorning calves comprise hollow cylindrical bodies having handle portions on one end and beveled sharpened edges at the other end. These tools have their sharpened ends telescoped over the beginning horns of calves and are utilized to cut the horns from the calf, the intermediate portions of the cylindrical cutters spaced between their opposite ends being provided with enlarged windows or discharge openings for the horns which are removed.
When horns are to be cut from calves a cutter of a size only so large as is necessary to snugly telescope over the base end of the horn is utilized. Accordingly, dehorning tools are conventionally constructed of 1inch diameter, 7/8 inch in diameter and 3/4 inch in diameter to ensure that a dehorning tool only so large as is necessary may be used.
After a dehorning tool is used several times the beveled cutting edge thereof becomes dull and renders the dehorning process more difficult and time cosuming. Accordingly, it is necessary to frequently re-sharpen the beveled cutting edge of dehorning tools. However, conventional methods of sharpening dehorning tools include grinding wheels, files and conventional Carborundum stones. With these types of sharpening tools the re-sharpening of dehorning tools becomes a time consuming task.
Examples of sharpening devices including some of the general features of the instant invention may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 104,732, 466,077, 502,932 and 905,638.